Bell, Don, J.S.
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The knifemaking bug bit Don Bell in 1999 when an employee brought in a knife by Mastersmith Rick Dunkerley. Don and Rick both live in the same small town in Montana and Don was immediately fascinated by the idea of a handmade knife. He says “…using a well made knife should be like wearing a ring on your hand - the knife becomes an extension of the user, and ceases to be a “tool”.
Don credits Rick with his start in the knifemaking world – it was when he accepted an invitation to Rick’s shop that he got his grounding in the basics of making knives. Don has a fierce curiosity about the world and enjoys learning new things, and knifemaking provides him with continual challenges. Ed Schempp had given him a piece of damascus which Don used to make his first three knives. The additional materials and instruction were given by Rick Dunkerley. He comments that “it’s amazing how much you can learn, just by listening to someone who has a lot of talent. I feel very fortunate to have been exposed to that!”
He admires the work of Rick Dunkerley, Ed Schempp, Barry Gallagher and Tim Hancock – and although he has no desire to make a filet knife himself, he thinks that Phil Wilson makes the best one he has ever used. He takes a lot of his inspiration from nature – particularly the mountains close to his home and forge. Don never makes knives with an intention for them to be specifically for use or collection, but instead tries to simply make the most beautiful knives he can. He enjoys going to knife shows, and thinks it’s important to commit to going to the same shows each year – “buyers like to know that you’ll be around to back up your work!”
Eight out of every ten knives that Don makes are sole authorship gentleman’s folders, the remaining two being hunter/utility knives with forged blades and natural handle materials. He likes to forge his knives. In a rush of inspiration, he’s been known to finish a knife in as few as two or three days, but finds that most of his pieces take one to two weeks. He says “knives have been around for thousands upon thousands of years and that makes innovation a real challenge. I’m always challenging myself with design ideas, trying new things.” He sees his knives as his legacy to the world – “When I’m long dead and gone, my knives will still be here on this earth, being used.”
Affiliations:
- ABS Journeyman, 2005
Awards:
- 2007 - Best Hand Forged Knife- PKA
- 2007 - Best Hand Forged Knife- OKCA
